We are improving medical standards – and saving children’s lives in Ukraine

For years, Polish Aid has been engaged in improving access to health care for all generations in Ukraine. This time, the project was dedicated to young patients at the Rivne Oblast Children’s Hospital, mainly infants, children with disabilities, and children from families that are victims of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Polish stakeholders involved in the implementation of the project included the Polish Embassy in Kyiv and the Prof. dr Stanisław Popowski Regional Specialised Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn, whereas the Ukrainian side was represented by the Rivne Oblast Children’s Hospital. The hospitals have cooperated over the last few years to organise placements for doctors in minimally invasive surgery for children and conduct training sessions for junior medical staff in providing medical services. In 2020, doctors from the Olsztyn hospital have already provided training in ultrasonography image diagnostics for their Ukrainian colleagues. The Polish Embassy in Kyiv, on the other hand, used Polish Aid funds to organise the above-mentioned training session and to provide the Rivne hospital with ultrasonography equipment which was handed over during a ceremony on 27 January 2020.

The aim of the project was to increase the quality and effectiveness of treatments as well as improving access to health care for young people and children, particularly infants, children with disabilities, and children from families that are victims of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Such projects addressed to people affected by the conflict which aim to improve access to infrastructure and social services, health care in particular, are one of the main areas of Polish Aid actions in Ukraine. Developing doctors’ competencies, including those related to ultrasonography image diagnostics, and improving their abilities to put theoretical knowledge into practice is to ensure more effective treatment for their patients.